Bethesda news, restaurants, nightlife, events and openings, real estate, crime reports and more - the way only a lifelong Bethesda resident like Robert Dyer can bring it to you. Everything you want and need to know about Bethesda, plus special investigative reports you won't find anywhere else. The must-read blog for breaking Bethesda news, when you want to be the first to know.

Back in March, developers PN Hoffman and Stonebridge Carras had scheduled the closure of Woodmont Avenue, south of Bethesda Avenue, for mid-June.

Yesterday, it was announced that Woodmont will likely remain open to traffic until an unspecified date in early August. This is mildly good news for patrons of shops and restaurants at Bethesda Row, as the closure is expected to only further snarl traffic in the area. It could be good timing, if they hold off the closure until students return to college in August. That would reduce at least a small amount of the high summer traffic volume.

What's the closure all about? Well, in addition to The Darcy condos being constructed on former Lot 31, The Flats is going to be built across Woodmont on former Lot 31-A.

With over 160 apartments, The Flats - well - ain't gonna be flat enough to fit the current layout. And excavation needs to be done for the massive, 940-space public parking garage that will be under there, too. So Woodmont Avenue is going to slightly shift from its historic course, and the famous Barnes and Noble intersection is not going to be the same anymore, either. Take pictures of it now, while it's still there, folks!

These delays come in bunches with this project, so I will be shocked, shocked if there is another postponement in August.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Just what the doctor ordered for this heat and humidity: a frosty mug of Newcastle Summer Ale!

Tonight at 6 PM at Union Jack's Bethesda, they're tapping just that. Order one, and you'll get to keep the glass! And in that glass, you will be able to put refills for only $2.

Representatives from Newcastle will be there to give out FREE samples, swag and prizes.

If you think this beer pairs well with summer foods, so does Union Jack's. That's why, starting in June, they'll be offering a Newcastle Summer Menu. Order any item off of it, and you'll get a frosty pint of Newcastle for only $3.

Monday, May 28, 2012

A month-long string of burglary break-ins and thefts in west Bethesda - centered around the Green Acres neighborhood - was still underway as of last Friday.

Police have arrested a Bethesda juvenile, who has been charged in several of the earliest crimes. After being released, he attempted another burglary, and was arrested again.

However, the crimes continued long after the second arrest. Police have not said publicly if the suspect is still in custody during the rest of the spree, or if he is back on the streets again. It is also unclear if more than one individual is responsible.

A lone 14-year-old Bethesda resident, police announced suddenly Thursday, had been arrested and charged with four burglaries, two attempted burglaries, and one theft (of a bicycle). In fact, he was arrested twice, first on May 9, and then - unbelievably - again the next day, when he immediately allegedly restarted his burglary spree!

More on that issue later.

The bottom line is that the statement issued, and ensuing media coverage, suggest that the burglaries listed were the only ones that occurred in Green Acres this month. And that the crimes have ended.

But the same SpotCrime data I used to uncover the unpublicized burglaries (now vindicated as accurate) prove that this is not the case at all.

While the mention that police used the teen's stolen iPad as a homing device to nab him caught the fancy of some, more urgent questions in the Green Acres and larger Bethesda community remain unanswered at this hour.

First, and most importantly, is the suspect at large again in the community?

Police are aware - as well as court authorities - that the suspect had resumed his alleged breaking-and-entering rampage the day after he was arrested. As odd, yet commonplace, as it was for him to be released in the first place, the second arrest should not have permitted release.

But police did not reveal if the suspect is in custody.

Is he or is he not?

And is he the only burglar, for that matter?

These questions are critical, because the following burglaries occurred in the Green Acres area long after the suspect's re-arrest:

Saturday,
May 12:

Breaking and entering, burglary. 5300 block of
Willard Avenue.

Friday,
May 18:

Breaking and entering, burglary. 5200 block of
Ventnor Road.

Sunday, May 20:

Breaking and entering, burglary. 5300 block of
Yorktown Road.

Breaking and entering, burglary. 5300 block of
Yorktown Road.

So while everyone is saying, "case closed" for those initial burglaries, the many others remain uncommented on by police.

Also, I am not sure why the community was never informed that the burglaries were happening, and about the important detail that the suspect was entering via basement windows. Homeowners could have perhaps taken steps to secure such windows, had they known of that fact.

In addition, the suspect allegedly stole at least one bicycle and one iPad. There were a number of thefts in and near Green Acres during that same period.

In fact, two more just occurred on Tuesday, May 22:

Theft from vehicle. 5400 block of Westbard Avenue.

Theft from vehicle. 4800 block of Newport Avenue.

Obviously, the police did a good job of catching the suspect. But the list of burglaries (see below for full list) go way beyond the six referenced in the arrest announcement. Perhaps more charges are forthcoming. Or is there a second suspect at-large? Or is the arrested suspect free and carrying out additional crimes?

As I said, there are so many questions at this point that I do not believe the community is ready to say, "case closed."

Finally, I'm proud to say that this blog was able to play a role in alerting the community about the burglaries while they were happening. Authorities and media with far more reach and power than myself did not at the time.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you will continue to stop by this blog to find out not only what's going on in Bethesda, but also - true to the masthead above - "exclusive investigative reports you won't find anywhere else."

As we await further details from police, here is the complete list of crimes related to the burglary spree:

For those in Bethesda who either don't have a membership to "the club," or a rooftop pool atop your building - and with temperatures in the 90s forecast for the weekend - you'll be glad to know the Bethesda public pool on Little Falls Parkway opens Saturday.

The pool will be open from noon until 6 on weekends intitially.

Starting June 11, it will be then be open on weekdays, and close every night at 8:00 PM.

Call for information regarding swimming lessons.

Hint: if you live in downtown Bethesda, it's an easy walk on the Capital Crescent Trail.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Adrenaline junkies have a new friend on Norfolk Avenue, across from Veterans Park. Bethesda Scooters and Boards has opened in the old Lulu Florist space at 7710-A Norfolk Avenue. What they're selling is just what you'd expect from the name: scooters and skateboards.

Bethesda Scooters and Boards has the potential to become a fixture in the community.

That's because they are selling wheels that are designed for the urban-suburban landscape.

Whether you live to shred on the halfpipe, or want a less expensive motorized vehicle to navigate the clogged streets of downtown Bethesda, Bethesda Scooters and Boards is the place to go.

When I stopped by Tuesday, they had a colorful assortment of scooters lined up outside. As you can tell from the photo, they're sporty and stylish vehicles.

For the skaters, they have just gotten their first shipment in. You can see some of it around the store in the photos.

They've got parts and decks for the serious skater to build his or her own board.

Here's a list of what they just got in:

50cc & 80cc Scooters and Modified Chopper Bikes By Chuck

Skateboarding:

Santa Cruz Goddess Cruiser Complete

Anti Hero Skateboards

Girl
Skateboards

Powell Peralta Boards

Baker Skateboards

Real
Skateboards

Independent Trucks

Spitfire High Performance Bearings

Bones Reds Precision Skate Bearings

Wheels: Spitfire, Ricta, Bones

Bethesda Scooters and Boards is a great and welcome addition to the downtown Bethesda community. Stop by soon and check it out!

According to SpotCrime, which obtains crime data from a Montgomery County Police feed, according to its CEO, the Bethesda Burglars struck twice on the same block Sunday.

The burglar(s) have returned to streets for a second time during this crime wave that began with a burglary on Westbard Avenue May 4.

But this is the first time they've pulled off two burglaries on the same street on the same date. If all of the reports are accurate, the burglars are breaking in at will, apparently unafraid of being caught.

Sunday's break-ins were both in the 5300 block of Yorktown Road. Not surprisingly, that's in the Green Acres neighborhood, where the majority of the burglaries have taken place. You'd think that flooding Green Acres with undercover cops would bring this burglary rampage to an end fairly quickly.

It's difficult to speculate in any detail, when no details have been provided by the police department yet. Maybe if we knew a simple fact like what time(s) of day the burglaries happen, it would shed more light on their m.o.

All there is to go on is the raw data from SpotCrime.

In any case, this would be the tenth burglary in Green Acres alone this month, if I'm counting correctly.

If these reports are accurate, the county really needs to take action on this.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

It must be pretty exhausting being a burglar on a breaking-and-entering rampage since May 4. So it's not surprising the Bethesda Burglars took a few days off.

But according to the newest data from SpotCrime, the well-rested criminals got back to work last Friday, May 18.

Three burglaries occurred that day in the Bethesda area. The one we can reliably tag the Bethesda Burglars on was in their favorite stomping grounds of - guess where - Green Acres.

Specifically, in the 5200 block of Ventnor Road.

That same day, they or another set of burglars also struck in the 4300 block of Chestnut Street east of downtown Bethesda.

Then they went down Chestnut until it turned into the 8000 block of Newdale Road, and hit there, too.

Are the latter two crimes part of the Bethesda Burglars' rampage? Hard to say. It's not in their "preferred" geographical area of west Bethesda. But it does fit their style of hitting more than one street, ones connected to each other, in the same night. So, it's a match for M.O., but not geography.

Summer is just around the corner. In downtown Bethesda, that means - among other things - outdoor movies.

There are two annual outdoor movie festivals in Bethesda, one sponsored by the Bethesda Urban Partnership in "Old Town" Bethesda, and a second at Bethesda Row.

Mark your calendars - or tell Siri - for the evenings of July 24 through July 28 at 9:00 pm. That's when Bethesda UP will host its outdoor movie spectacular at the corner of Norfolk and Auburn Avenues.

Here is the 2012 lineup of movies:

Tuesday, July 24: Stand By Me

Wednesday, July 25: Vertigo

Thursday, July 26: The Muppets (the recent one)

Friday, July 27: Crazy Stupid Love

Saturday, July 28: Hugo

Bring your own chair (BYOC). You can also bring food from any one of the many restaurants nearby. I would personally suggest hot dogs from Bold Bite, or lobster rolls from Freddy's Lobster.

Admission is FREE!

Which movie is the best? It would have to be Vertigo with Jimmy Stewart, of course!